Heavy metal concentrations in the edible parts of vegetables (mg/kg)

Name of sampleBotanical nameHausa nameHeavy metals
CdPbCrCuZn
TomatoSolanum lycopersicumTumatur32.45 ± 0.34de*10.90 ± 1.49b*31.00 ± 0.29c*16.98 ± 0.45d2.22 ± 0.32ab
PepperCapsicum annuumAttarugu33.50 ± 0.05f*10.40 ± 0.83b*30.33 ± 0.17bc*12.38 ± 0.18b1.77 ± 0.25a
OnionAllium cepaAlbasa31.93 ± 0.22d*10.70 ± 0.97b*29.67 ± 0.17bc*10.60 ± 0.35a2.28 ± 0.54ab
CarrotDaucus carotaKaras28.62 ± 0.44bc*6.02 ± 0.80a*29.17 ± 1.09b*21.22 ± 0.42e2.22 ± 0.38ab
SpinachSpinacia oleraceaAlayyaho26.87 ± 0.09a*4.17 ± 1.14a*32.67 ± 0.44d*15.18 ± 0.10c3.42 ± 0.73b
LettuceLactuca sativaSalad32.98 ± 0.31ef*10.78 ± 1.02b*38.67 ± 0.44e*24.38 ± 0.71f2.22 ± 0.07ab
Bell pepperCapsicium cerasiformeTattase28.92 ± 0.34c*5.93 ± 0.54a*27.00 ± 0.29a*17.48 ± 0.80d2.40 ± 0.48ab
CucumberCucumis sativusKokwanba27.98 ± 0.32b*5.27 ± 0.70a*27.17 ± 0.44a*17.78 ± 0.25d2.67 ± 0.48ab
Safe limits#0.200.302.3040.0060.00

# Source: WHO (2019) [17]. Mean values with * are above WHO limits; mean followed with different letters across the column are significant at p < 0.05